The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-09-29
Story of a Lost Watch.

'tFor some time," said the doctor to
Philadelphia Call reporter, 81 have
been attending colored man on Wood
street who is confined to his bed by a
chronic disorder. There was no
money in the case, but true physician
never thinks of that, and l kept peg
ging away at my man until | got him
on the turn. Then he fell back again.
and l began to think that his mind was
diseased-that is, that he was broodine
over something, and that plays the
mischief with medicine. You take the
case of beautiful girl who loses her
hair from fever. Her recovery Is re-
tarded for weeks if you give her a
looking-glass.
Well, kept quiet and made myself
friendly, and one day the secret came
out. He waited until he was alone
with me, and then he asked me to 90
to closet in the room and hunt up a
black stocking. 1 did so and handed
1t to him, and he took therefrom some
thing that looked like bundle of rags.
Removing the rags disclosed roll of
paper tied with old twine, and inside
was piece of chamois, and inside of
that beautiful gold watch. Ihad been
watching these proceedings with con-
siderable interest, and when / saw the
watch jumped at once to the conclu-
sion that my patient was about to
make restitution for robbery. I
was mistaken.
"1ou's away off, boss said he, with
smile, as he evidently read my
thoughts. Il didn't stole that watch:
l found 'um. | picked up that watch
bout year ago on the corner of 18th
and Market streets, and want to give
'um back before | die The story
looked tishy, but it all turned out nat
urally enough when / questioned him.
He found the watch and brought it
home and told no one about it for fear
OF being robbed. He didn't advertise
1t because he had no money to pay for
the advertisement, and he didn't read
the papers to see if reward had been
offered simply because neither he nor
any of his family could read. So he
hid the watch in a closet and did moth
ing at all.
II examined the watch and saw that
it was a lady's watch and valuable.
On the inside of the case was engraved
a date and the name Sarah Matilda
Shreve.' Here was clew. what do
you want me to do with thisP' / asked.
He replied that was to find the owner
and return the watch with or without
a areward, and he seemed actually CRATE
ful as carried it away.
''When 1 returned to nv Office I
got out the directory and wrote letter
to every Shreve in the city, about
half-dozen, detailing the circum-
stances and asking for Sarah Matilda.
The next day 1 got letter from a
Shreve telling me that the owner of
the watch was now the wife of a prom
inent citizen-never mind his name
and lived at 18th and Pine. That af-
ternoon l called on the lady, told NV
story, and she identified the watch be-
yond question and told how she lost
it in coming from Broad street station.
''She was gratified at its recovery
and surprised when she heard where
it had been for year, and am happy
to say that her gratitude did not stop
at words. The next day she called to
see my patient and left liberal pres
ent behind her, and she has been a
regular caller ever since. The result
is that my man is getting well, and it
looks now as if his modest future was
assured.